phytophagous
- adjective
- /faɪˈtɒf.ə.ɡəs/
- Specialized
:
fitófago
- The caterpillar is a phytophagous creature that feeds solely on the leaves of various plants.
- phytophagous insects
- phytophagous insect species
Examples
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Most plant species are associated with a variety of phytophagous insects within their native range.
Academic text (1993) -
The factors influencing the total number of phytophagous insect species attacking a single species or genus of plants within large geographical regions are well understood.
Academic text (1996) -
Table 1. Estimated numbers of insects in the main phytophagous taxa of North America and Europe. PREFORMATTED TABLE
Academic text (1996) -
The evidence suggests, then, that natural enemy pressures facing phytophagous insects in North America and Europe are probably equivalent, although more exacting and comprehensive studies are badly needed.
Academic text (1996) -
Many plant bugs have yet another useful trait because more than half (14) of the European adventives are both predaceous and/or phytophagous (Wheeler and Henry 1992), making food finding more likely.
Academic text (1996) -
It is no coincidence that approximately 40% of all insects adventive on American woody plants have parthenogenetic capabilities, four times its estimated representation (11%) among native phytophagous taxa in North America.
Academic text (1996) -
Although there are no hard data demonstrating the displacement of North American forest insects, circumstantial evidence unequivocally suggests that many European adventives have become the overwhelmingly dominant phytophagous insects in their invaded North American niches.
Academic text (1996) -
Many species of phytophagous insects play a critical role in the ecosystem by feeding on plant material.
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As a phytophagous animal, the goat primarily grazes on grass and shrubs.
Synonyms
1
6.7
An animal that eats only plants
1
3.5
Eating mainly plants
Eating plants like leaves, stems, or roots
Antonyms
How Plant-Eating
Surface Forms
Morphology
phytophagous = phytophage (opaque) = phyto + phag + ous
Formed from Greek combining forms not familiar to average learners and the adjective is a technical biological term, so the relation to everyday words ('plant' + 'eat') is not readily inferable.
Etymology
Phytophagous comes from Greek parts phyto- meaning 'plant' and -phagous meaning 'eating', so it describes an animal that eats plants, like a 'herbivore'.